to attend tuesday's public memorial service for nelson mandela. for three days now, south africans have been honoring and celebrating the man who helped unlock racist suppression and led his nation into democracy. it was a day of prayer and reflection. richard engel is also in johannesburg tonight and has this report. >> reporter: south africans let the holy spirit overwhelm them. they came to pray here because nelson mandela prayed here. fire master tom was growing up. mandela was in prison. they met only after he walk free. >> he was a friend. is he blood and flesh like us? because he was so good. >> reporter: for many here, mandela was more than just a prisoner turned president. he taught a lesson. >> we must always be humble, kind, and we huft love each other. >> the love that is everybody. >> reporter: even the u.s. ambassador got into the spirit singing kumbaya. >> it was incredibly powerful. if that singing did not stir your spirit -- >> reporter: this is a very special church. there were race riots here. black residents ran and took shelte